History Schmistory: October 29. Evil Opera
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/1920-Don-Giovanni-B.jpg
1787: Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni is performed for the first time in Prague, a show chock-full of murder and mayhem, masquerade parties, demon choruses, graveyards, ghostly statues, and ultimately a first class ticket to hell. Top it off with an appropriate moral; he who lives wickedly, dies wickedly, and you’ve got yourself a fulfilling Halloween experience, wouldn’t you say?
History Schmistory: October 28. “This one’s for all the ladies out there.”
Monday, October 28, 2024
1886: In New York Harbor, President Grover Cleveland dedicates the beautiful bronze Statue of Liberty. Always ahead of her time, Lady Liberty went green long before the rest of us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:POTD/2009-10-28
History Schmistory: October 27. One Philly to go!
Sunday, October 27, 2024
1682: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is founded. Eventually followed by the cheesesteak, because honestly, how could we not mention it?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Cheesesteak_Hamburg_Opole.jpg
History Schmistory: October 26. …it was OK.
Saturday, October 26, 2024
1881: The famous gunfight at the OK Corral takes place in Tombstone, Arizona, lasting only 30 seconds. A shame Kevin Costner’s movie wasn’t that short.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombstone,_Arizona#/media/File:Allen_Street_Tombstone.jpg
(GO THERE!) The well-preserved town still stands as a major tourist attraction.
-And Val Kilmer still stands as Doc Holiday, in our book.
History Schmistory: October 25. Priceless.
Friday, October 25, 2024
1993: The master of macabre, classic horror film actor Vincent Price, well known for his creepy characters and distinctly chilling voice, dies of lung cancer. And Halloween just wasn’t the same without him.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Vincent_Price_in_House_on_Haunted_Hill.jpg
History Schmistory: October 24. Steel Widow.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
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1901: With her only child dead and her only husband killed in the Civil War, aging schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor feared she was destined to end up in the poorhouse. But then she came up with a brilliant plan. First, she would pay professional coopers to construct a heavy duty, elongated and well-cushioned barrel. Then, on October 24th, her 63rd birthday, she would climb inside and ride it over the edge of Niagara Falls, a feat that would hopefully bring enough publicity and wealth to carry her comfortably into senectitude.
The stunt is a resounding success, and Annie becomes the first person ever to accomplish it, emerging from the certain-death-capsule with only a small gash on her head, though she made it clear she would rather “walk up to the mouth of a cannon” than ever try it again. Unfortunately, the story ends with Annie spending most of her earnings on private detectives in a futile search for the missing barrel, no doubt sold by her concurrently absent manager. Still, Annie Edson Taylor remains one of the most gutsy people in the history of daredevilry.
History Schmistory: October 23. Smurfin USA?
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
1958: The Smurfs, a fictional race of blue dwarves, appear for the first time in a weekly French comic-strip by Peyo called Johan and Peewit.
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/231/f/4/smurfs_are_three_apples_tall_by_smurfsteph-d5bob4f.png
That’s right, the Smurfs are actually French.
History Schmistory: October 22. “I wasn’t ready!”
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
1926: Smarty-pants J. Gordon Whitehead sucker punches legendary magician, escapologist and stunt performer Harry Houdini in the stomach several times, rupturing his appendix. Houdini refuses medical attention and goes on to perform what would be his final show, collapsing several times in the duration. He dies a few days later in a Detroit hospital on Halloween. And this time it was no trick (or treat.)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Houdini_in_Handcuffs,_1918.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Jack_Dempsey,_Harry_Houdini_and_Benny_Leonard2.jpg
History Schmistory: October 21. UFO-snap!
Monday, October 21, 2024
1978: Australian pilot Frederick Valentich vanishes somewhere over the Bass Straight after reporting an unidentified aircraft hovering above him. Dude got jacked by some punk aliens.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/PurportedUFO2.jpg
History Schmistory: October 20. No worries, mate!
Sunday, October 20, 2024
1973: 10 years overdue and $95 million over budget, the Sydney Opera House finally opens, and quickly becomes the universal icon of Australia. That is, until Crocodile Dundee comes out.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Sydney_Opera_House_-_Dec_2008.jpg
